The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee recently issued a number of rulings interpreting the federal False Claims Act (FCA) and its state law counterparts relevant to long-term care...
When the star goes down and payment’s involved, beware
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 22, 2016
A leader in the quest to increase long-term care insurance activity delivered a blow to its followers this week. The fallout might not be pretty.
Obtaining critical claims data may soon get easier
By
John O'Connor
Jun 05, 2015
The government plans to make new claims data and other resident-care information available to providers and entrepreneurs as never before. Is it too good to be true?
Taking care of Medicare and Medicaid’s dual-eligibles: A job for Super- , er, Ombudsman
By
Tim Mullaney
Jul 16, 2013
Giving long-term care stakeholders a reason to cheer, California recently requested a federal waiver to implement Cal MedConnect, a demonstration project meant to improve care coordination for people who...
Of Purell and payment reform
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 16, 2013
I was sympathetic when the Partnership for Sustainable Health Care called for a speedier shift away from fee-for-service last week — and I also thought about Purell. Yes, that Purell.
Stop the ‘siloed’ policy making for skilled nursing
By
Alan G. Rosenbloom
Mar 21, 2012
Last week, three reports issued by three separate government agencies made incongruent recommendations — or no recommendations at all — related to skilled nursing facility (SNF) patient care and policy....
A good first step but more to do with MDS 3.0
By
Leah Klusch, RN, BSN, FACHCA
Mar 07, 2012
It was a long first day, but there was tremendous value and everyone who is here has learned what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ positions are with the April updates and some of the...
How to make your nursing facility RAC-ready
By
Bryan Baird
Nov 08, 2011
As skilled nursing facilities adjust to the changes to Medicare that arrived early last month, they must be ready for Recovery Audit Contractors. RACs are independent auditors for the government that are...
The growing cost of compliance in long-term care
By
Michael K. Loucks
Nov 09, 2010
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will expand compliance-related regulations for skilled nursing facilities.
Lawmakers have a lot to answer for when providers make Hill visits Tuesday
By
Liza Berger
Feb 19, 2010
When long-term care providers hit Capitol Hill Tuesday their congressmen better be prepared.